From the 1880s to the 1960s, there was a rich village social life that centred on the Seely Hall and the school. Whist drives, recitals, dances, a youth club and harvest suppers were some of the activities in the days when it was rare to have a television.

While money was often scarce, the proximity of the sea, fertile gardens and the village allotments meant that the people of Brook and nearby villages rarely went without food. If you did not have something yourself, you usually knew someone who did.

The Seely Hall has provided a focus for the village's social activities for the past 115 years. Built by Sir Charles Seely as a Reading Room for the working man, initially it was divided into two rooms, one for reading and one for billiards.